This article describes IBM PCs connected via LocalTalk PC Cards via
FastPaths to a mixed environment network. Pacer software on the VAX does
have the capability to support MS-DOS machines.  Although connections are
provided for both AppleTalk and Ethernet, the services on an Ethernet
direct-connect are a subset of the services for a machine using the
LocalTalk PC Card.

Using the LocalTalk PC Card and routing through a Kinetics FastPath, you
have complete access to file, terminal, and printing services.  Currently,
using the supported Ethernet cards for the MS-DOS machine, you have the
terminal and printing services, but not the file services.

Ethernet cards currently supported by Pacer on the MS-DOS machines are:

- 3COM Corporation's 501,503,505
- Micom's NI5010,NI5210
- Western Digital's AD03

In the Macintosh world, you have access to the full range of services
whether you use Ethernet or LocalTalk.

Alisa Systems supports AppleShare PC using the LocalTalk PC Card connected
to a Kinetics FastPath through an AppleTalk network.

With regard to PCSA (Personal Computing Systems Architecture), because this
product was specifically designed by DEC to provide file and print services
for MS-DOS machines from VAX systems, it should work. Because it is not
AppleTalk-based, its presence on the network should have no effect.

Note: This is a theoretical statement, because no reports of problems with
both architectures residing on the same network have appeared. The area for
potential problems is having AppleTalk and PCSA reside on the same MS-DOS
machine and somehow conflicting.  The usual concerns of interrupt, DMA, and
driver conflicts would apply in this case.